Before delving into transgender issues, I think it is important to discuss male privilege and how it affects our society on a daily basis. Kate Bornstein in her book, Gender Outlaw, addresses the problem of male privilege. Bornstein says that there is no place for male privilege and she is right. This link http://sap.mit.edu/content/pdf/male_privilege.pdf will bring you to a list of 29 benefits of male privilege. It is a rude awakening to something that occurs every single day in our society, and most men are unaware of their privilege and power over females. Some of these privileges for men include, being far less likely to face sexual harassment at work; being aggressive without fear of being called a bitch; not having to sacrifice a career after having children. This happens every single day, without question. Men are paid more, respected more, and assumed to be more qualified for jobs.
Now, how does male privilege map to transgender? In 2011, it was reported in a national survey that transgender people were twice as likely to be unemployed than the general population and 15% of the transgender population reported a household income of under $10,000 per year,” (Sears, Mallory 2011). It is blatantly apparent that there is extensive discrimination against transgender people, especially in the workforce. This shockingly high rate of unemployment and low income leads me to think that transgender people are fearful of entering the work force; they may be fearful of being discriminated against by bosses and co-workers, fearful of not being paid honest wages, and a multitude of other emotional fears.
This injustice reveals how trivial gender is and how it problematic it is because of it’s social construction. It is simple to suggest just paying every person a fair salary, but that is easier said than done. Our culture is so attached to our identities-especially gender. Without our gender, who are we? What is going to happen in the workplace if a person’s gender isn’t easily identifiable? What happens if the transgender man acts too feminine or too masculine? What if a transgender woman is capable of a high leadership position, but has the anatomy of a woman, will she be denied the job even though she identifies as a man? When we apply transgender to the unequal pay of men and women, the problems with gender itself begin to unfold.
If the real problems with gender begin to unfold, then our entire culture as we know it is at stake. In our current binary system, men are expected to hold the higher paying jobs like CEO, doctor, or senator; and likewise, women are more commonly secretaries, nurses, or teachers. So, if a transgender person occupies one of these jobs, he/she is challenging the binary system and that is causing unrest in the workplace. If transgender employees start pushing up against the “gender defenders” (Bornstein pg. 74) then what will happen? It is quite possible that gender politics will have to be redefined. Our entire culture of gender is going to have to change to make way for a new, inclusive and accepting culture. Male privilege is going to have to be ended and equality in the workplace must replace it.
There has been some progress made, but there is far more work to be done. Currently one of the only things being done is the addition of “gender neutral” bathrooms to buildings on college campuses and businesses. This is a step in the right direction. But it is not enough. Yes, people will feel more comfortable using the restroom at work, but they are not being paid fair wages, and that is the issue I struggle with. Male privilege and the binary gender system seems so archaic after reading Reis, A Body in Doubt, and Bornstein’s Gender Outlaw. So, after so many years and generations, why is this rigid system still controlling our society? Why is gender allowed to deny people jobs? Why is gender allowed to decide a person’s salary?
There is no answer for this problem-only more questions. It is unfair and unjust that anyone should be paid unequal wages for the same work. But it is even more unjust for a boss to have to analyze what gender a person “really” is before assigning them a salary. Transgender people in the workforce are being discriminated against. Gender is controlling the workforce today. Something that has been socially constructed is inhibiting people from living their lives openly and is making it impossible for some people to express their true selves. Another damaging aspect of this problem is how gender is ruining the American Dream. There is an entire population of people, of American citizens, that are being denied their chance at the American Dream. If transgender people are discriminated against in the workplace, they will never have the chance to make a living for themselves and their families. When addressing a solution to factoring out male privilege, Bornstein says, “A better solution to this situation would be to point out what’s going on, and to talk it though,” (Bornstein pg. 76). I think she is absolutely right. This is a subject that receives very little attention, and if nobody starts the conversation, there is no hope in finding equality in the workplace for transgender people.
http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Sears-Mallory-Discrimination-July-20111.pdf
Bornstein, Kate, and Kate Bornstein. Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us. New York: Routledge, 1994. Print.
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